Newest Arkansas State Park Moving Into New Phases

The newest addition to the Arkansas State Parks system is moving into a fresh phase of development and is marking the milestone with the opening of a visitor center in Marianna.

Mississippi River State Park, which operates in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, is planning a Thursday ceremony at the center, which features a variety of exhibits, park information and a walking trail.

The park includes several sites and its development has been in the works since 1999, though the idea was first proposed in the 1960s.

The park consists of a number of different areas in the St. Francis National Forest. One of the next to be developed as a day-use area will be along the Mississippi River. Already, sites include parts of Crowley's Ridge and Delta bottomland.